June 01, 2011 - 12:52PM

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CARNEY AND BLOOM BRIEF: White House press secretary Jay Carney gives little detail when asked about the negotiations on how to reduce the deficit. He says that the parties have come together and "identified" the problem. The problem, he reveals, is "the need to reduce our deficicts and our debt."

"There is common ground," he says. (1:49 p.m.)

Carney refuses to talk about why Obama told Republicans today that “demagoguery” in the Medicare debate “comes from both sides.”

"I'm not going to get into a back and forth about who said what," Carney says. He's pressed; same answer. "No, again, I'm not going to comment on what he may or may not have said." (1:51 p.m.)

Carney takes a final question on the debate on spending. He says the government needs to "continue to make key investments to undergird our economy."

After a little more talk on creating jobs/growing the economy, Carney thanks his reporters and walks out. (1:54 p.m.)

Paul Ryan, Libya and more, after the jump ...
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FROM THE TOP -- White House press secretary Jay Carney starts his briefing by promising a readout of President Obama's meeting with House Republicans. But first, auto adviser Ron Bloom is going to talk about the auto industry.

Bloom starts. Obama made "difficult decisions" about the auto industry, he says. Car companies "came forward" with plans for taxpayer support, but Obama said no and demanded more aggressive proposals, he recalls.

The reason for the focus: It's the two-year anniversary of the auto bailout, so let's "take note" of it, Bloom says. (12:51 p.m.)

Bloom repeats the talking points, citing job growth in the sector. "This was not an easy call," he says. Bailout out Chrysler, he says, was even a "difficult" decision. (12:53 p.m.)

Ron Bloom says a "broader manufacturing story" related to the auto bailout needs to be "brought to attention," and that's why the White House published a report on the industry.

Question time. Bloom is asked if the survival of the auto companies is assured. Answer: "I don't think anything in life is assured." (12:55 p.m.)

There was "roughly $80 billion" invested in the car industry, and "roughly $40 billion" has been returned, Bloom says.

"We will look to exact these things as soon as practical," Bloom says, denying that the White House is waiting for the market to be at a favorable point. (12:57 p.m.)

Ron Bloom says President Obama doesn't want the federal government to be the manager of car companies; he then plugs cars from Chevrolet and Ford. He says they're "selling off the lot."

Bloom stresses to the press corps that the government wants to sell stakes in the car companies as soon as it's "practical," not "possible." He adds: "Obviously, tomorrow morning we could sell it all if we want. We've chosen not to. But we have to be very careful." (1:03 p.m.)

The auto adviser Ron Bloom notes that the bailed-out car companies are able to deal with rising fuel costs with their new models. "Obviously, nobody roots for high gas prices," he says, adding that the companies "are able to address consumer demand."

That, he says, is a "positive development." (1:07 p.m.)

Ron Bloom has been at the lectern for about 20 minutes. He strikes a patriotic chord when talking about manufacturing as he says observers are realizing that "this is, in fact, a good place to make things."

Taking more questions on when the government will sell its stake in car companies, Bloom concedes that reporters won't like his answer, which is, basically, whenever it's "practical." (1:12 p.m.)

Bloom is asked to define "as soon as practical." He tells reporters they've got as much out of him as they're going to get. The reporter who asked follows up. "Judge us by our actions," Bloom responds, citing previous times when the government has taken similar actions.

Does President Obama think it would be wrong to sell the stakes when the market is high? "No, I don't think that's it at all," Bloom says. "We just don't know where the top is."

Bloom exits; Carney walks up. (1:14 p.m.)

Jay Carney starts by reading a statement on President Obama's 75-minute meeting with the House GOP. He pulls out two quotes from what top Republicans told reporters after the meeting -- Jeb Hensarling's comment that it's a "good day" when the parties talk together, and John Boehner's assertion that the session was "productive."

President Obama, Carney says, agrees with both of those things. He doesn't mention the more negative things the Republicans had to say.

Carney announces that the next round of deficit negotiations, led by Vice President Biden, will be on June 9, on Capitol Hill. (1:18 p.m.)

White House press secretary Jay Carney makes no effort to hide the differences between the administration and Republicans on the deficit. He asks rhetorically whether they are disagreements, and answers himself: "Of course we do."

Still, he says, "compromise can be achieved."

Carney derides the "monologue" that can emerge when lawmakers talk "through the press." He says the closed-press meeting was a "useful thing to do."

And he is asked about Paul Ryan's claim that Obama has "misdescribed" his Medicare plan. Carney denies that Obama agrees with that.

"No, he doesn't," Carney says. "There is no question that there are differences." He adds that on Medicare, there are "significant differences."

"He believes that Congressman Ryan is the author of the plan," Carney says. "We don't think that's a matter of demagoguery. It's a matter of fundamental disagreement of opinion." (1:23 p.m.)

After saying the White House disagrees with Paul Ryan's Medicare plan, press secretary Jay Carney says that the proposal "has the impact of shifting the cost burden for ever-growing medical costs onto beneficiaries."

Jake Tapper presses the point. Carney insists that President Obama is "interested in bipartisan compromise."

"He’s walked the walk and not just talked the talk," Carney says. (1:31 p.m.)

Asked if the meeting was confrontational, Carney says it was "a frank discussion," but not confrontational.

Shifting to Libya, Carney says that "we feel strongly that the president has acted ... consistent with the War Powers Resolution." (1:33 p.m.)

Jay Carney calls President Obama's meeting with the House GOP a "useful exercise."

"It was an excellent opportunity for the president to hear from House Republicans and for the House Republicans to hear from the president," the press secretary says. (1:35 p.m.)

Carney, again, doesn't get too specific when asked about the deficit negotiations. "Our position is well known," he says. "What stays on the table depends on the progress being made in these negotiations." (1:38 p.m.)

Carney says the White House's "beef" with the GOP Medicare plan isn't that it doesn't call for savings, but that it would "undermine the Medicare program." He rephrases, using the talking points, saying that the plan would "essentially end it as we know it." (1:40 p.m.)

Raising the debt ceiling was "not much of a topic" during President Obama's meeting with House Republicans today, White House press secretary Jay Carney says. (1:43 p.m.)

"We obviously closed it to the press because we felt it would be more conducive to having a useful conversation," Carney says. "We feel that it was a useful conversation. What individual members did is obviously up to them."

June 01, 2011 - 05:11AM

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RIGHT WING IN THE WEST WING: Fresh off rejecting a plan to raise the debt limit without cutting spending, the Republicans in the House are due at the White House for a morning meeting with President Obama. The White House says Obama will talk with the GOP conference in the East Room at 10 a.m.; unfortunately, the press is barred from the room.

White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters that the meeting was closed to them because Obama “wants it to be an open and frank exchange.”.